Matua’s ‘Rail Roko’ Protest In Bengal Against Assam NRC Draft

Kolkata:Around 40 lakh citizens left out of final draft of NRC in Assam,alleging Modi government responsible the Matua Mahasangha is going to protest across West Bengal. They are likely to call rail blockade on Wednesday in the district of North 24 Praganas.This will create pain for the commuters who avail the train everyday.

It is alleged that Assam released the final draft of National Register of Citizens(NRC), excluding over 40 lakh people from the final draft list, triggering a political slugfest with the opposition alleging that it was the BJP’s “gameplan” to divide the people for electoral gains.This news has also shaken the citizens of Bangladesh neighboring Indian states like West Bengal and Tripura. On the issue of the National Register of Citizens, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has warned to begin huge movement against the Modi government.

In Bengal, the Matua Mahasangha is all set to go for a protest against BJP.Sangha’s vice president Dhyanesh Narayan Guha said, “Many among the 40 lakhs people who were left out of final draft of NRC in Assam are Matua community. The main pillar of the organization, Binapani Devi is very concerned about the issue. In protest against the incident of Assam, we have undertaken rail blockades and road blockades on Wednesday in several areas including Howrah, Thakurnagar, Bongaon and few other places. On this day only we will decide how and from where the movement to begin.”

Suresh Chowdhury, secretary of the Sangha, said that on Wednesday rail blockade will be held for an hour from 9am to 10am. Beside this, they will soon protests in Assam House.If the issue is not solved their protest will take more serious turn.

The Trinomool Congress first started to win the election in North 24 Paraganas with huge votes of the Matuas. Although their vote had long been a big factor in North 24 Parganas.CPM ‘teacher’Anil Biswas was a representative of the Matua community. While maintaining a communist image outside, the comrade leader had gain vote of confidence in the North 24 Paraganas by utilizing his identity. Matua’s are the Namasudras.This particular sect of people had been the victims of genocide and gang rapes during the horrific riots of before the partition.To control the situation then Bapuji(Mahatma Gandhi) himself went to East Bengal.

During 1950 and later;during the liberation movement of Bangladesh,the condition of the Namasudra and the other poor class people turned worse.The genocide by the Pakistan military brought a dooms day for this sect of people.They took shelter in India. Although most of them are now recognized as citizens of this country. Hence, their offspring are also regarded as citizens of India.

Meanwhile, some people of the Matua community have raised question at the ‘rail roko’ program of the Matua Mahasangha. Mamata Banerjee herelf declared that she is against the Bandh, because rail blockade(rail roko) protest will leave the common man to suffer.In this situation will this rail blockade protest in West Bengal region bring any solution for the citizens of Assam who were left out of final draft of NRC.A disagreement has taken place centering the call for protest.

The notable fact is that the son of the Thakur family and the leader of the Matua Mahasangha Manjulkrishna Thakur who has left TMC party and joined BJP has ignored the issue.